The present invention relates to a fishing reel and, in particular, to a fishing reel which comprises: a fishing line take-up drive mechanism which is disposed in a reel main body and, when a drive force is input therein, allows a fishing line to be wound around a spool; a reversal preventive mechanism which is disposed in the reel main body and can be switched selectively between a reversal preventive state for preventing the reversal of the fishing line take-up drive mechanism in a fishing line play-out direction and a reversal allowable state for allowing the reversal of the fishing line take-up drive mechanism; and, a reversal prevention switching mechanism which is disposed in the reel main body, includes an operation part, and, by operating the operation part, switches the reversal preventive state and reversal allowable state of the reversal preventive mechanism over to each other.
As a conventional fishing reel of the above-mentioned type, for example, there is known a fishing reel which is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 51-153293 of Showa. In the conventional fishing reel of the above-mentioned type, normally, the reversal preventive mechanism is set in the reversal preventive state. And, the reversal prevention switching mechanism, by means of the manual operation of the operation part thereof, sets the reversal preventive mechanism selectively in either of the reversal preventive state or reversal allowable state.
In the conventional fishing reel of the above-mentioned type, (1) in order to prevent the fishing line from being wound onto the spool excessively and (2) in order to adjust the position of the terminal tackles of the fishing line with respect to the position of a shelf in a fishing spot, the reversal preventive mechanism can be switched from the reversal preventive state over to the reversal allowable state by means of operation of the operation part of the reversal prevention switching mechanism.
However, in the conventional fishing reel of the above-mentioned type, after the reversal preventive mechanism is switched from the reversal preventive state over to the reversal allowable state by means of operation of the operation part of the reversal prevention switching mechanism, the operator of the fishing reel sometimes can forget to return the reversal preventive mechanism from the reversal allowable state back to the reversal preventive state through the operation of the operation part of the reversal prevention switching mechanism.
Or, when the fishing line is entangled around the operation part of the reversal prevention switching mechanism or when something is butted against the operation part, the operation part can be sometimes switched from the reversal preventive state over to the reversal allowable state unexpectedly while the operator of the fishing reel does not notice it.
And, if the reversal prevention switching mechanism remains set in the reversal allowable state, then (1) when a fish catches a hook and the fishing line is thus pulled strongly by the fish, the spool or rotor can be rotated reversely at high speeds so that the fishing line can be played out excessively and can be thereby entangled, or the handle of the fishing line take-up drive mechanism can be turned reversely so that fingers of the operator of the fishing reel can be damaged, and (2) when the operator of the fishing reel moves to other places in the fishing spot, the hook, terminal tackles or fishing line can be entangled around rock, plants, or other person(s) so that the fishing line can be played out excessively and can be thereby entangled, or the fishing line can be played out naturally, which can enhance the possibility that the hook, terminal tackles or fishing line can be entangled around rock, plants or other person(s).